


Amaranthine

by HiddenEye



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, S2 consumed my soul thank the lord for all the sheith, Somewhere during episode 8, s2 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-09-19 11:39:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9438569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenEye/pseuds/HiddenEye
Summary: "You're still you,” Shiro grabbed his wrist when Keith began reaching for his helmet, and he shot the older paladin a hard look. “You're stillKeith, and that won't change anything between us. I won't allow it.”“How can you be so sure?” Keith narrowed his eyes. “How can you convince yourself and the others that I won't suddenly go berserk and jointhem?What then? Will you still think that I'm just Keith?”





	

**Author's Note:**

> Set somewhere during episode 8, because it's the most emotional part of s2 for us sheith people and honestly I'm weeping blood
> 
> This fic is unbeta'd and I did this when I was half awake (I was impatient and I wanted to post it _now_ ) so any mistakes are mine to make

 

  _Don't you want to catch up?_

 

His shoulder was dislocated, Keith could feel the way his clavicle was jutting out into an odd angle as he limped towards the same room he had changed into what the trial consisted him to wear, dragging his feet across the floor before he let the door slid close behind him.

Red had calmed down after he reached out towards her, soothing her with reassurance that yes, he was alright and no, barging in to get him out wouldn't be a good idea when she could destroy the place within the minute. It took her some time before the headquarters didn't suffer anymore from her attacks, dusts clearing as he heard the way she settled in front of the door with a growl of grudging acceptance.

He could still feel her churning anger mingling with his own exhaustion as he pushed himself away from Shiro, not meeting the older man’s eyes as he ignored Shiro's call for him while he limped his way out, clutching his arm tightly as he tried not to gnash his teeth together too tightly.

It didn't help matters that Keith was still trying to tamper down his cluttered mind, the ghost of the memory still tight around his throat as he dropped onto one of benches with a grunt. The new situation aggravated his shoulder more when he felt the spike of pain flashing down his spine, where he had to swallow his moan of pain from where he curled his body around himself.

His desperation drove him into making these type of decisions even if he knew the consequences that came with it, exposing dangers that he knew would only blast him in the face if he wasn't careful.

But, he had to know. He had to find out about who he was.

He glanced down at his busted shoulder with thinned lips, running his fingers down his bicep to relieve himself some of the pain. Making sure he positioned his fingers around the bone while he remembered the old classes he used to take for survival, Keith straightened himself up to brace himself against more pain that would come.

However, the door was open before he had the chance to have it fixed. He lifted his head up to see Shiro walking towards him with calm strides despite the worried furrow of his brow that shone through his visor.

Keith pursed his lips, looking away with a frown when Shiro tentatively sat beside him. “I'm fine, Shiro. You don't have to look after me.”

“Well, your shoulder wouldn't vouch for that.” Shiro commented. He paused when Keith glared at him. “Do you want me to help?”

A surge of spite shot up his throat at the question, and Keith grabbed his own shoulder again before giving it a quick jerk back into its socket. He bit down his scream when he teetered forward, and firm hands prevented him from planting his forehead onto his knees. “I'm fine,” he gasped out, and he could feel the pulsating fire travelling to the back of his eyes, where he had to blink away the dizziness that swam in front of his vision.

Shiro let out a sigh, and the soft breath tickled the side of his face while Shiro had an arm in front of his chest while a hand held onto his arm, preventing Keith from toppling over. “You could have just said no.”

“But then, you won't be able to accept it.” Keith replied easily, rolling his shoulder to get some feeling back. “Like you couldn't accept the fact that getting hurt would be part of the trial when I was fighting the members of the Blade.”

“It wasn't a fair fight,” Shiro insisted, readjusting his grip onto Keith's arm that Keith had a half mind to just shrug it off in order to quiet his own rapid heartbeat. “You know it too.”

“Yeah, but I don't sweat on it.” Keith refused to meet his eye as he stood up, letting his touch fall away as he began walking towards where he set aside his paladin armour on the other bench. “Look, it's done. Whatever I'm going through is only a minor thing when being compared to fighting Zarkon. What happened during the trial will stay _only_ in the trial.”

“The others need to know the truth too.” Shiro pointed out, watching Keith rip off the neuron sensors near his neck. “They need to know what's going on.”

“And any trust I gained would be wasted,” Keith shot back. “Sorry, Shiro, but finding out that I'm part Galra won't exactly be a field trip. They would hate me for it.”

“They won't, Keith.” Shiro stood up when Keith snorted in disbelief, standing beside him as Keith began slipping on the white belt. “Because I know I don't.”

 

_Then, you've chosen to be alone._

 

Keith peered at him through his bangs, and Shiro only stared back unrelentingly. “You should,” Keith murmured, wearing his paladin armour over the suit. “You have the right.”

“No, I don't. You're still you,” Shiro grabbed his wrist when Keith began reaching for his helmet, and he shot the older paladin a hard look. “You're still _Keith_ , and that won't change anything between us. I won't allow it.”

“How can you be so sure?” Keith narrowed his eyes. “How can you convince yourself and the others that I won't suddenly go berserk and join _them?_ What then? Will you still think that I'm just Keith?”

He saw the way Shiro softened his look, as if Keith said something that could be considered as pitiful. Somehow, that was worse than when Keith managed to catch the uncertainty that flashed into his eyes when Keith was first interrogated for his dagger, and he was able to know how to handle the situation during that time if something bad were to happen than he did at the current moment.

Pleading won't work now, not when Shiro had so much hope inside him.

He couldn't help but feel the weight of his dagger strapped heavily on his back, weighing him down.

“Because I know you,” Shiro answered quietly, lowering their hands together so that they hung between them. But, his fingers still wouldn't let go of him. “I know that you're stronger than that.”

Perhaps. It was a possibility that shouldn't sound as if he was solving an equation to eternal tranquillity.

But, Keith didn't see it. He didn't trust himself to see it that way.

He trusted Shiro, though. He trusted what Shiro saw that Keith couldn't see and that was enough.

More than enough.

Keith let out a small breath, a whisper of a sigh. “Fine,” he relented, gazing at their connected hands blankly. “but you'll have to promise me that if I do anything that would jeopardise anyone’s life, I want you to end me.” He lifted his free hand to stop Shiro's protest. “There’s no other way. Kill me if you have to, but you have to make sure the others are safe.”

“There would _always_ be another way,” Shiro said firmly, taking a small step forward that caused Keith to tense, but he forced himself to relax as he met Shiro's determined look. “And I'll make sure you would have a chance in experiencing it.”

Keith shook his head, untangling their hold from each other. “Passion won't be enough to get you everywhere.”

“And yet, effort won't betray you.”

Keith grinded his molars together, before slipping into his helmet and then walking towards the door. “We should get going. The others are already waiting for us to get out of here.”

Before he could step out, Shiro rested his palm onto his shoulder, and Keith stopped when he was turned to face him again, tired grey eyes staring back at him. “Just remember that I'm here if you ever need me,” Shiro began. “And that your friends would understand what you're going through if you give them a chance.”

Keith let his eyes wander over his face, fleetingly searching through every corner while he tried to stomp down the doubt that managed to resurfaced. “I don't want to hurt them,” he said quietly. “And I don't want to hurt _you._ ”

“You're won't,” Shiro stepped into his space, sliding the hand from his shoulder down to hold loosely onto his wrist again, eyes drawn to him. _Just him._ “You would never.”

Their helmets prevented them from having direct contact, but the amount of intimacy was the same when Shiro rested his head against Keith's, and Keith fluttered his eyes closed when he felt warmth spreading across his sternum, momentarily blinding out the pain from the fights he went through in order to find out about the truth of his past.

But, despite everything, _this_ truth was enough; where Keith could slot their fingers together while he took a breath, Shiro looking at him with a flicker of adoration in his eyes. That made Keith suck in a sharp breath, tightening their hold onto each other.

It was enough.  
  
For the moment, Keith could live with it.


End file.
